Pipe cleaning device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1961 J. E. HUMPHRIES PIPE CLEANINGDEVICE Oct. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1961 INVENTOR.

L//MJ United States Patent O 3,058,525 PIPE CLEANING DEVICE .lames E.Humphries, 964 W. 2nd St., Monahans, Tex. Filed July 28, 1961, Ser. No.127,599 4 Claims. (Cl. 16d- 177) This invention relates to cleaningdevices, and more particularly to a device for cleaning mud or otherdrilling fluid from the inside of a drill pipe.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved insidepipe wiper adapted to be used in a drilling pipe, the wiper beingrelatively simple in construction, being easy to use, and being providedwith means to prevent return of drilling iluid wiped from the inside ofa pipe back into the associated drilled bore.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device forcleaning mud or other drilling fluid from the inside of a drill pipe,said device being inexpensive to fabricate, being durable inconstruction, being provided with means to allow the drilling iluid tobe pumped either in a forward or a rearward direction therethrough, andbeing usable with any pipe in which drilling is done in conjunction withuid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved pipecleaning device which is weight-driven, which is arranged so that it canbe either pushed or pulled by its associated weight, and which iscompletely reversible so that itis usable in either direction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved devicefor cleaning mud or other drilling fluid from the inside of a drillpipe, said device being relatively compact in size, requiring a minimumamount of maintenance, and being usable as an aid in linding holes inthe drilling pipe with which it is employed and for preventingblow-outs.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a vertical cross sectional view taken through a section ofdrilling pipe in which is disposed the upper portion of an improvedcleaning device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of theupper portion of the cleaning device, as employed in FIGURE l.

FlGURE 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFlGURE l.

FGURE 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 ofFIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 6 6 ofFEGURE l.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken throughthe lower portion of the drill pipe of FIGURE l and showing the Weightmember associated with the pipe cleaning structure of FlGURES l to 6.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 8--3 ofFIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates a section of drill pipe to becleaned, and 12 generally designates the upper portion of a pipecleaning device constructed in accordance with the present invention.The assembly 12 comprises an elongated substantially cylindrical mainbody 13 formed at its intermediate portion with a pair of flattened,diametrically opposite surfaces 14, 14 engageable `by a suitable wrenchor similar implement to provide a non-rotatable grip on the body 13.

Secured to the opposite ends of the body 13 are respective ilaring skirtmembers 15, 15 of resilient deformable material, such as rubber, or thelike, said skirt memice bers being adapted to engage the inside surfaceof the pipe 11 with a wiping action. As shown, the skirt members 15 areeach provided with an inwardly directed internal annular dovetail-shapedrib 16, the ribs 16 being respectively receivable in correspondinglyshaped annular recesses 17, 17 formed at the top and bottom end portionsof the body 13, and being clampingly engageable by respective fasteningcollar elements 18, 18 threaded on said end portions, the collarelements 18, 18 cooperating with the recesses 17 to definedovetail-shaped annular clamping grooves in which the annulardovetail-shaped ribs 16 are received and clamped.

As shown, the main body 13 is substantially smaller in diameter than theinside diameter of the pipe 11 to be cleaned, and the skirt members 15flare outwardly from the ends 4of the body 13, the outer end portions ofthe skirt members being normally of larger diameter than the insidediameter of the pipe 11 so that the skirt members 15 deform to makewiping contact with the inside surface of the pipe so that said skirtmembers act to wipe said inside surface and clear same of drilling fluidor other liquid material, responsive to the movement of the device inthe pipe. The skirt members 15 also serve to clear the inside surface ofthe pipe of any mud or other material adhering thereto.

integrally formed with the upper collar member 18, as viewed in FIGURE lis an axially extending bracket 20 formed with an internally threadedcup element 21 in which is threadedly engaged the end 22 of a supportingrod 23. The lower collar member 18 is similarly integrally formed `withan axially extending bracket 20 provided with the internally threadedend portion 21 which threadedly receives the top end 22 of a dependingrod member 23 which is secured to an elongated weight member 24.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the elongated weight member 24 is substantiallysmaller in diameter than the inside diameter of the pipe 11 and isformed at its bottom end with an elongated stud member 25 provided witha plurality of radially extending, angularly spaced guide pins 26 havingrounded outer ends 27 adapted to slidably engage the inside surface ofthe pipe 11 and to thus guide the lower end of the cleaning device foraxial movement in the pipe section and to aid in centering same. Thus,as shown in FIGURE 8, the stud portion 25 is provided with four equallyspaced radially projecting guide pins 26.

The body 13 is formed with respective pairs of longitudinal bores 28, 28and 28', 28', the bores 28 being enlarged at their lower portions, asshown at 29 and being provided with annular seats 30, 30 in the upperends of the enlarged portions 29. Bearing ring elements 31, 31 arethreadedly engaged in the lower ends of the enlarged bore portions 29,and positioned in said enlarged bore portions 29 are coil springs 32which bear between the ring elements 31 and valve balls 34 urged by thesprings against the annular seats 39, delining yieldable, normallyclosed, downwardly opening valves. The bores 28 are provided .at theirupper ends with similar enlarged portions containing valve balls 34' andcoil springs 32' acting to bias the valve balls downwardly into seatingengagement with annular seats 30', thereby dening yieldable, normallyclosed, upwardly opening valves. The yieldable valve balls 34 and 34'respectively allow passage of iluid therepast in either direction underpumping pressure but are otherwise maintained closed by their biasingsprings 32 and 32.

As will be readily apparent, the cleaning device may be mounted in thepipe either with the Weight member 24 lowermost, as illustrated inFIGURES l and 7, or with the weight member 24 uppermost, since thedevice is completely reversible. The main body 13 containing theyieldable valve elements 34, 34 and provided with the wiping skirtmembers '15, 15 is pushed or pulled by the weight element 24. In thearrangement illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 7, the supporting rod 23 isemployed to control the downward movement of the wiping device under thepull of the weight member 24 and can be ernployed as a means for pullingthe cleaning device out of vthe pipe after the pipe has been wipedclean. The device may also be employed as an aid in iinding holes in thedrilling pipe and in preventing blow-outs therein.

While a specific embodiment of an improved pipe vcleaning device hasbeen disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose 'skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no 1imitationsbe placed on the invention except-as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe cleaning device comprising an elongated substantiallycylindrical main body, aring skirt members of resilient deformablematerial secured to the opposite ends of said body and being adapted toengage the inside surface of a pipe with a wiping action, said bodybeing formed with at least two longitudinal passages, and respectiveyieldable, normally closed valve means in said passage, one valve meansallowing passage of fluid therethrough in one direction and the othervalve means allowing passage of fluid therethrough in the oppositedirection.

2. A pipe cleaning device comprising an elongated substantiallycylindrical main body, flaring skirt members of resilient deformablematerial secured to the opposite ends of said body and being adapted toengage the inside surface of a pipe with a wiping action, said bodybeing for-med with at least two longitudinal bores, yieldable normallyclosed valve means in one of the bores allowing passage of tluid underpressure only in one direction, and yieldable normally closed furthervalve means in the other bore allowing passage of iluid under pressureonly in the opposite direction.

3. A pipe cleaning device comprising an elongated substantiallycylindrical main body, flaring skirt members of resilient deformablematerial secured to the opposite ends of said body and being adapted toengage the inside surface of a pipe with a wiping action, said -bodybeing formed with at least two longitudinal bores, yieldable normallyclosed valve means in one of the bores allowing passage of uid underpressure only in one direction, yieldable normally closed further valvemeans in the other bore allowing passage of uid under pressure only inthe opposite direction, respective connection bracket means secured tothe opposite ends of said main body, and an elongated weight memberconnected to one of said bracket means.

4. A pipe cleaning device comprising an elongated substantiallycylindrical main body, aring skirt members of resilient deformablematerial secured to the opposite ends of said body `and being adapted toengage the inside surface of a pipe with a wiping action, said bodybeing formed with at least two longitudinal bores, yieldable normallyclosed valve means in one of the bores allowing passage of fluid underpressure only in one direction, yieldable normally closed further valvemeans in the other bore allowing passage of fluid under pressure only inthe opposite direction, respective connection bracket means secured tothe opposite ends of said main body, an elongated Weight memberconnected to one of said bracket means, a stud member projecting axiallyfrom said weight member, and a plurality of radially extending,angularly spaced guide pins secured to said stud member and beingslidabiy engageable with the inside surface of the pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS216,946 Cunningham July 1, 1879 2,802,535 Taylor Aug. 13, 1957 2,893,493Copas July 7, 1959

